Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Highlights

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival will take place Friday, through Sunday, Nov. 3 through 5, 2017.

Opening Day will feature the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Lantern Parade along Aliʻi Drive, from the Kailua Pier to Hale Halawai beginning at 6 p.m., with a glowing procession of lights, music and color, culminating with a traditional Bon Dance.

The Kona Historical Society will host a self-guided Kona Coffee Living History Farm Tour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The farm tour will reveal the story of Kona’s coffee pioneers during the early 20th century. There will be a special $10 rate with festival button, available for purchase on-site.

On Saturday, Nov. 4, the Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will be able to stroll through the art district and visit galleries exhibiting an extensive collection of local art with over 30 Kona coffee farms offering tastings and product for purchase.

Also on Saturday, UCC Hawaiʻi will host Kona Coffee Picking & Farm Experience at UCC Hawaiʻi Kona Coffee Estate from 10 a.m. to noon or from 1 to 3 p.m.

Participants will be able to tour the coffee farm, hand pick ripe coffee cherry, and witness how the harvest transforms to coffee in your cup.

The Donkey Mill Art Center will host three workshops featuring hands-on Hawaiian crafts and activities including, basics of lauhala weaving while creating a bracelet, the method of transforming green ti leaves into twisted lei and Wauke – the Japanese method of fine art paper making. The activities are $5 and reservations are required. Call (808) 322-3362 or info@donkeymillartcenter.org.

Also on Saturday, the UCC Hawaiʻi Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Pageant will take place at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa’s Kaleiopapa Convention Center.

Hawaiʻi Island’s talented contestants will compete for the coveted Miss Kona Coffee and Miss Aloha Hawaiʻi titles. Tickets are $30 plus festival button. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The pageant starts at 6:30 p.m.

On Sunday, Nov. 5, KTA Super Stores will host Kona Coffee Recipe Contest & Big Island Showcase at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa’s Kaleiopapa Convention Center.

Beginning at 11 a.m., Chef Elden Rodrigues will showcase his latest culinary creation in an exclusive demonstration. Tastings will be open to the public following judging and awards presentations.

Festival-goers can also enjoy Kona Coffee Talk with Akinori Imai and Kona Historical Society at Donkey Mill Art Center, Holualoa from 9 to 11 a.m. Imai will be on-hand to tell the story behind her still life photos that capture first generation Japanese coffee farmers. The event is an Ohana style pot-luck brunch, attendees are asked to bring a dish to share.

Click here to download a complete Festival Schedule of Events.